The Nuggets are gearing up to take on the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday, Apr 20. The game is slated for 8:30 ET and will be broadcast on ABC. Denver comes into this game as 7-point favorites with the total set at 226. How will this matchup unfold? Let’s get into the Nuggets vs. Lakers predictions below.
Nuggets vs. Lakers Odds
- Spread: Nuggets -7
- Total 226
Game Info
- Date: Saturday, Apr 20
- Time: 8:30 ET
- Location: Ball Arena, Denver CO
- TV: ABC
Lakers Betting Trends
- Over their last five games, the Lakers have an over/under record of 4-1 and are 2-3 vs. the spread.
- The Lakers are 3-2 ATS in their last road games and 5-0 straight-up.
- The last ten games that Los Angeles was the underdog, they have an ATS mark of 6-4 while going 6-4 straight up.
Nuggets Betting Trends
- In their last five games, the Nuggets have an over/under record of 3-2 and are 3-2 vs. the spread.
- In their last five games at home, the Nuggets have a straight up record of 3-2 while going 2-3 vs the spread. The team’s offense averaged 114 points per game in these contests.
- In their last three games as the betting favorite, the Nuggets have a strong straight up record of 2-1. In addition, their ATS record was 2-1 in these scenarios.
Will Los Angeles Win on the Road?
In the Western Conference standings, the Lakers are currently in 7th place with a record of 47-35. Against other Western Conference teams, they are 27-25 compared to 20-10 in non-conference games.
On the road, the Lakers are 19-21 this season and have won their last five games away from home. Their ATS record on the road is 18-22, and they are 15-22 as the underdog.
This season, the Lakers have gone 15-22 as the underdog and are currently getting 7 points against the Nuggets. In their last 37 games as the underdog, they are 18-19 vs. the spread.
The Lakers have won their last two games after defeating the Pelicans by a score of 124-108. The O/U line for that game was 231.5, and the Lakers were 1.5-point underdogs going into the game.
For the season, the Lakers have an O/U record of 48-34, and their games have averaged 235.5 points per game. Today’s O/U line is set at 226, and the Lakers have gone over the O/U line in their last four games.
Los Angeles comes into the game as one of the top scoring teams in the NBA, at 118 points per game. This is the 6th best mark in the league. The Lakers have been even better on the road, at 117 points per contest. Looking at their field goal percentage, the Lakers are 3rd in the league, hitting 49% of their shots.
LeBron James has been carrying the Lakers offense of late, averaging 30.5 points per game over his last four games. In these games, he shot 60% from the field. Anthony Davis is averaging 23 points and 10.5 rebounds in his last four games. Rui Hachimura is averaging 2 made threes per game on a three-point shooting percentage of 41.7%.
Currently, the Lakers’ defense holds the 23rd rank in the NBA, allowing 117.4 points per game. Los Angeles’ defense is currently forcing 13.4 turnovers per game, which is 20th in the league. Additionally, they enter the game ranked 11th in blocked shots, with an average of 5.5 rejections per game.
Do the Nuggets Have What it Takes to Win as Home Favorites?
The Nuggets have been favored in 72 of their 82 games this season and are favored by 7 points today. As the favorite, they have a record of 53-19 this season and have gone 33-37 against the spread as the favorite.
At home, the Nuggets have a straight-up record of 33-8 and are 21-19 against the spread. They have won four straight games at home and have an average scoring margin of +9.8 points per game.
Denver’s O/U record for the season is 34-46-2, and the over has hit in their last three games. This year, their games have averaged 224.5 points per game compared to today’s O/U line of 226.
In their last game, the Nuggets beat the Grizzlies by a score of 126-111. They were favored by 14 points in that game and easily covered the spread. The O/U line for that game was 216.5 points.
In the Western Conference standings, the Nuggets finished the season in 2nd place with a record of 57-25. Against Western Conference opponents, they went 33-19 and 24-6 in non-conference games.
Denver comes into the game as the NBA’s 13th-ranked scoring offense at 114.9 points per game. At home, they are 9th in the league, averaging 118.5 points per contest. The Nuggets have been an efficient shooting team this year, connecting on 49% of their field goal attempts, which is the 4th best mark in the league. Despite their efficiency from the field, the Nuggets are last in the league in three-point attempts and 25th in three-point makes.
Nikola Jokic is averaging 25 points per game in his last five games on a field goal percentage of 64.9%. In these games, he hit 77.8% of his threes and averaged 1.4 made threes per game. Over this stretch, he averaged 12 rebounds and 8.4 assists. For the season, Jokic is averaging 26.4 points, 9 assists, and 12.4 rebounds. Jamal Murray is averaging 21.2 points for the season but 24 points per game in his last five games on a field goal percentage of 54.8%.
Coming into the game, the Nuggets defense has held opposing team’s to fewer points than the league average in 25.6% of their games. Currently, they are 7th in the NBA at 109.6 points per game allowed. For the season, Denver is ranked 22nd in fewest fouls per game. Team’s are averaging 22.2 free-throws per game vs. the Nuggets and have an overall field goal percentage of 46.3%.
Nuggets vs. Lakers Player Props
A player prop we are looking at is Nikola Jokic and his points prop of 27.5. Currently, the over for this prop is sitting at a payout of -105 while the under is at -115. Considering his prop is set at 27.5, our model recommends taking the over, as we expect him to finish with 29. We anticipate him shooting 55.0% from the field and making one three.
- The Prop: Nikola Jokic Over 27.5 Points (-105)
Nuggets vs. Lakers Predictions
The Lakers come in as the underdog at +7, making them our top choice on the point spread. We not only expect them to cover the spread but also believe they have a strong chance of winning the game outright, especially if you’re aiming for a higher moneyline payout.
As for the over/under, the the line is currently at 226, and our model projects the Lakers and Nuggets to reach a combined total of 234 points. Our bet is on taking the over.
The Pick: Lakers +7 | at Fanduel Sportsbook